Cannot ping wireless computers (or devices) from ethernet wired computer

Question

I was trying to print from an ethernet cable connected (wired) PC to a wireless printer (Canon), but there is no response from the printer. I then tried to ping another wirelessly connected laptop, there is still no response! I tried the other around, pinging the PC from the wireless laptop, there is response.

How do I make all of them talk to each other bidirectionally? I am using only one router (D-link WBR2310) to do this. Thanks!

Solution

This doesn't really have anything to do with wired vs. wireless networks. Ping uses ICMP which is an IP protocol. Devices on the same IP network can reach each other provided that nothing (e.g. a firewall) prevents this.

Devices on different IP networks can reach each other provided routing is configured between the networks and that nothing prevents the communication.

To troubleshoot this, you need to figure out if your router considers your wired and wireless networks to be the same IP network or not. If they are not the same network, you need to enable routing between the two and you might have to check firewall settings as well. I would expect your printer to respond to ICMP, but in theory it could be blocked on the device as well. You PC on the other hand could very well be blocking ICMP. It depends on your settings.

Comments

[Matu]

Are the devices on the same IP network? If not is routing enabled between the networks? Is your firewall blocking ICMP?

[return 0]

@BrianRasmussen They are connected to the same wireless router, both wirelessly and wired.

[Sopalajo de Arrierez]

Does the router responds to ping from anywhere (cable or wireless)? If yes, I would suggest to check for "AP Isolation" (or similar: "Wireless Isolation", "WiFi Clients Isolated"... etc) in the router. That means all wirelessly connected devices are in an isolated (separate) network. This is a security feature useful sometimes, but not in your case.

[user2313067]

If you can ping the PC from the laptop, you have bidirectional communication between the two and the fact that you can't ping the other way is due to a firewall blocking ping requests (most likely) or ping responses.

[return 0]

How do I know if they are connected to the same IP network? the wired and wireless devices are all connected to the same router... Also, why can't I ping the wired from the wireless device?

[Matu]

What are the IP addresses of the devices?